Hello… I will be traveling to both cities in Nov/Dec this year as part of a river cruise Danube… Both these cities do not use euros as their local currency… I’m wondering if most places take credit/debit or if I should carry small amounts of their local currency for 3 days in Prague and 2 in Budapest?
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
7388 posts
Most places - everywhere - take credit/debit.
That said, once in a while you may occasionally find a need for small change. Doesn't happen much, but it does (I encountered a public paid toilet in Budapest last week that required local currency, and I had none...I found an alternative option at an American fast food joint). IME it's always a good idea to have at least a tiny bit of local currency (and paying in local cash is more respectful than trying to get by with foreign cash).
Posted by
the great P-NW
474 posts
Aaaaaand off we go! You will now see the usual statements for and against getting some local currency. Some will say you NEVER need it, and others will say "yes, but...." I fall into the latter group. If you are staying in the city both places, you will likely be able to get by just fine with using a card or other cashless method. However, you may encounter a vendor who requires cash, and have to skip the purchase. So it really depends on how flexible you are, or if you like to plan for every eventuality. I tend to get a small amount of the local currency when I arrive, and if I don't use it, I spend or donate it the last day. You do you!
Posted by
Republic of Texas / U.S.A. / Magyarország / Budapest
24255 posts
You have 2 days in Budapest. In two days i doubt you will leave the tourist swamp. Your card will be sufficient. If by some stroke of bad luck the network is down or you want to show appreciation with a cash tip, or pay for that "free" walking tour, you can Google "ATM" and go to the one a 3 minute walk away. At that point, the ATM type and the ATM fee won't really matter. Doubt it will happen anyway.
If you were going to stay 4 days I would suggest you carry 9.000 forints. When you draw 9.000 out of an ATM, you get a 5.000 and four 1.000 forint bills = $27, and it will take care of most any unexpected situations for a couple outside the tourist zone.
For reference, today, 1.000 Ft = about $3
Posted by
311 posts
I did a Danube River cruise in September, with 2-pre days in Prague and ending in Budapest and did not get or need any local currency. I took some Euros I had left over from a prior trip to Europe and that was sufficient along with my credit card. Most guides preferred Euros. Some even welcome US dollars. I actually made a point of withdrawing additional Euros in Bratislava for future travel before sailing into Budapest as I assumed the ATMs in Budapest wouldn’t disperse Euros. Nice cruise, I have booked again for next year going in other direction. Enjoy your trip.